Taking a risk
“Emotions are the colors of the soul; they are spectacular and incredible. When you don’t feel, the world becomes dull and colorless.” William P. Young
The other night when I was chopping salad I wasn’t paying attention and as I was coming down with the knife, I nicked by pointer finger with the sharp blade. Immediately, I could see the cut in the skin and after that moment pause, the blood began to come. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I ran to the facet to run my finger under cold water and searched for a band aide.
I cringe even now thinking about this moment. I hate experiencing pain and I don’t think I am alone. I think many people are paralyzed by the thought of pain that we do everything in our power to avoid it. It makes sense, I mean nobody is going to put themselves in harms way, well most people at least. But what happens when that fear keeps you from doing activities that you wish to do. What happens if that fear keeps you from making decisions that you know you should make or want to make. We find ourselves doing everything in our power to stay safe and secure. We are so afraid that we might fail, make the wrong decision, and might feel pain that we never take the risk. Yet, unless we take that risk we are unable to see truth. We find ourselves always on the sidelines and never actually playing.
But God didn’t create us for the sidelines. He created us to experience all the pleasures and gifts that life has to bring. He came to bring us life, to bring color to our face. As Aslan breathed life into the stone Mr. Tumnus, God wants to breathe life into us. But we allow fear to turn our hearts into stone, keeping us from feeling anything at all.
Why are we so afraid of failing and making a mistake? “Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.” – Unknown author. Making mistakes is apart of life. It allows us to grow and learn. But unless we leave our safe harbor and venture out into open water we won’t have the opportunity to make mistakes and we are unable to learn and grow. I believe we are all longing for life, the life that God has intended for us. We begin to experience real life when we embrace truth. When we dare to take the risk of being ourselves and opening ourselves up to God we will experience life.
My desire is not to put one more thing on your list to do, but to encourage you to "be". To allow God to meet you right where you are at, take your hand, and lead you one step at a time. It is a life filled with joy, peace, and love, but also with sorrow, sadness, and grief. When we allow God to enter in each of those emotions we begin to understand want it means to truly life in full and glorious colors. So the next time you find yourself pushing that emotional "off" button, take a risk: share with God how you are feeling regardless how bad, embarrassing, or scary it might be and ask him for help to work through it.
The other night when I was chopping salad I wasn’t paying attention and as I was coming down with the knife, I nicked by pointer finger with the sharp blade. Immediately, I could see the cut in the skin and after that moment pause, the blood began to come. It made me feel sick to my stomach. I ran to the facet to run my finger under cold water and searched for a band aide.
I cringe even now thinking about this moment. I hate experiencing pain and I don’t think I am alone. I think many people are paralyzed by the thought of pain that we do everything in our power to avoid it. It makes sense, I mean nobody is going to put themselves in harms way, well most people at least. But what happens when that fear keeps you from doing activities that you wish to do. What happens if that fear keeps you from making decisions that you know you should make or want to make. We find ourselves doing everything in our power to stay safe and secure. We are so afraid that we might fail, make the wrong decision, and might feel pain that we never take the risk. Yet, unless we take that risk we are unable to see truth. We find ourselves always on the sidelines and never actually playing.
But God didn’t create us for the sidelines. He created us to experience all the pleasures and gifts that life has to bring. He came to bring us life, to bring color to our face. As Aslan breathed life into the stone Mr. Tumnus, God wants to breathe life into us. But we allow fear to turn our hearts into stone, keeping us from feeling anything at all.
Why are we so afraid of failing and making a mistake? “Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.” – Unknown author. Making mistakes is apart of life. It allows us to grow and learn. But unless we leave our safe harbor and venture out into open water we won’t have the opportunity to make mistakes and we are unable to learn and grow. I believe we are all longing for life, the life that God has intended for us. We begin to experience real life when we embrace truth. When we dare to take the risk of being ourselves and opening ourselves up to God we will experience life.
My desire is not to put one more thing on your list to do, but to encourage you to "be". To allow God to meet you right where you are at, take your hand, and lead you one step at a time. It is a life filled with joy, peace, and love, but also with sorrow, sadness, and grief. When we allow God to enter in each of those emotions we begin to understand want it means to truly life in full and glorious colors. So the next time you find yourself pushing that emotional "off" button, take a risk: share with God how you are feeling regardless how bad, embarrassing, or scary it might be and ask him for help to work through it.
posted by The Village Youth | 3:50 PM
|
1 Comments
